When our kids were little, we kept a “snack shelf” they could reach without asking.

If I stocked it with fruit, we had fruit eating children. If I stocked it with cookies… well, you know how that goes.

Our mind has a “snack shelf” too. What we place within easy reach becomes what we reach for, especially when we’re rushed, tired, or stressed.

Remember the 3 Fs

FILTER out what doesn’t serve our dreams, our goals or our growth.
Think of a coffee filter: it lets the good through and catches the mess. We are allowed to mute, unfollow, or walk away. That’s not being rude; it’s protecting our peace.

FEED our minds with content that educates, empowers, and energizes.
If it’s not nourishing, it’s just noise. Books, podcasts, conversations, and music can lift and stretch us.

FOCUS on applying what we learn.
If we learn and don’t live it, it’s just mental clutter. Pick one idea and put it into practice.

We’re surrounded by noise, headlines, social media, and a thousand opinions.

Have you ever set your phone down feeling more drained than inspired? That’s a sign your “snack shelf” needs restocking.

Last month I met a young woman who started every morning with breaking news alerts. By 8:15 a.m., she’d already experienced the world’s disasters. And she wondered why her creativity felt flat.

We traded her first 20 minutes of “doom scrolling” for a short walk, a chapter from a classic book; she chose Og Mandino (a favorite author of mine), and three deep breaths before email.

Two weeks later she said, “I haven’t changed my to-do list, just my intake; and I finally have energy to do my work.”

Try a 7-Day Content Cleanse

For one week, reduce digital noise so you can reconnect with your own thoughts and boost your creativity.

3 Ground Rules

1. No negative news before noon. Protect your peace; your morning is prime real estate.
2. Trade 15 minutes of scrolling for a classic - Og Mandino’s The Greatest Secret in the World is a perfect start.
3. Unfriend, unfollow, and unsubscribe from chronic complainers. If a voice brings a problem but never a solution, it’s not counsel, it’s clutter!

Daily Plan (simple, doable, kind)

Day 1: Audit & Arrange
Open your phone and delete five apps or notifications that hijack your attention. Move nourishing apps (Bible, audiobook, notes, meditation, learning) to your home screen.

Day 2: Windows not Headlines
Step outdoors for five minutes before screen time. Look at the sky. Read two pages of a classic book or a devotional.

Day 3: Curate Your Circle
Delete one thread that makes you anxious. Send an encouraging text to someone who pours back into you.

Day 4: Create Before You Consume
Write 10 lines in your journal, write a paragraph, sketch an idea - anything you make with your own hands or mind.

Day 5: Nourish Your Inputs
Listen to a podcast that teaches a skill you can use this month. Write an idea down that you’ll put into practice within 48 hours.

Day 6: Quiet Hour
Pick one hour to be tech-free: no news, no feeds. Walk, stretch, cook, or read. Let your mind rest.

Day 7: Share the light
Share one idea you practiced this week. Don’t preach; just share your experience and one tip.

Little Habits Help

• Sticky-Note: Put a note on your screen: “Is this nourishing me?” If not, close it quickly.
• Doorway Breaths: Every time you walk through a doorway, inhale, exhale, choose your next thought.
• Dinner Table Policy: We can talk about problems, but we must also name one possible solution.

We can’t control everything, but we can cultivate our attitude. Every room we enter, we either add to the atmosphere or drain it.

Positivity isn’t pretending; it’s choosing to plant something good where we stand - gratitude, encouragement, clarity, wisdom.

When we lead with hope, we model what kindness looks like. And at the end of the day, we absolutely become what we consume.

The content we absorb, the conversations we engage in, and the company we keep, shape our energy, our outlook, and our resolve to keep moving forward - especially during these challenging times!

We must be intentional about what we allow into our minds, and what we release into the world. We need thoughtful, kind ideas right now. Let’s stock our shelves accordingly.

An Affirmation for 7 Days: "I filter the noise. My mind is a garden. I plant wisely, and I harvest well!"